It’s been over 13 years since Tier 6 was added to the New York state pension system. Since then, over 50,000 UFT members in Tier 6 have earned a reduced pension compared to earlier tiers. That’s why we’re fighting to fix Tier 6 in ‘26.

This fight is a long game. These changes will take time, but we’ve made big changes before. Together, we can put the necessary pressure on Albany to make it happen.  

Our fight in '26

While Tier 6 provides a financially secure retirement, it is not as beneficial as previous tiers. Read our Fixing Tier 6 FAQ to learn more »

Thanks to our advocacy, we’ve already begun improving Tier 6 by:

• Changing the final average salary calculation to match Tier 4, resulting in a higher pension benefit upon retirement.
• Dropping the vesting period from ten to five years to match Tier 4, guaranteeing a pension benefit for 85,000 Tier 6 members.

The next big reform we're focused on is: 

• Lowering the retirement age for Tier 6 members to age 55 after 30 years of service 

Our “6” Days campaign

Thousands of UFT members packed the MVP Arena in Albany on March 8 – on a Sunday. The reverberations of what union power and solidarity mean were felt across the state. That is not an exaggeration. We started back in December and we made it visible, then we made it human, and finally, we made it LOUD. 

Our work has been seen and heard: Legislators showed up to our rally pledging their support for fixing Tier 6. The state Senate and Assembly just included Tier 6 reforms in their budget proposals. 

What’s next? Budget negotiations are ongoing. The state budget is due April 1. It is often late, but when it comes out, we’ll see if money has been earmarked to fix Tier 6. 

• Check out our Fix Tier 6 Toolkit for more information and materials. 

Why does this matter? 

• Fixing Tier 6 is about solidarity and fairness
  We deserve the same retirement security as previous generations.
• Fixing Tier 6 is about keeping talented educators in the classroom and recruiting new educators into the profession
  Forcing younger members into a lesser pension system undervalues our profession. Our work is important. Our pensions should reflect that.
• Students lose when their educators don’t stay
• Fixing Tier 6 is about unity and power
  When we stand together in solidarity, we have power.

2026 is our year and this will take all of us

• Join our Fix Tier 6 Campaign and show that your school is in for the fight!
• Read our Fix Tier 6 FAQ to learn more
• Use the Fix Tier 6 toolkit for additional resources
• View the UFT's Fix Tier 6 presentation
• Share the Fix Tier 6 message with other UFT members
• Donate to COPE, UFT's voluntary, non-partisan political action fund. Your donations help us get our message out to lawmakers so we can make change!